Green Coupe is born

What are you building, Angela?

My guess would be a fake Porsche.

Next replica is a 904. angela

My favorite!
Hopefully you'll keep us posted with your progress.
Are you getting the kit from Thunder Ranch?
What are the preliminary specs on the build?

Tom:

Well, Guess I'll have to bring along a case of Murphy's Irish Stout to Carlisle this year!!

http://www.theta.net/~nichols/smileys/friday.gif

New Coupe pics posted on JPS website:

http://www.jpskitcars.com/JPSCoupe/index.html

SWEET!!! You gotta be about to give birth from excitement.

Lane, I can't W82BGRN! John says he is still on track for Carlisle. Everything seems to move so slow. Was the same waiting for my Beck. You must have had the same issues leading up to Carlisle last year knowing what would result.

My wife knew all along I was going this route but that didn't keep her from thinking I was totally nuts. Yesterday we were tooling around in my speedster enjoying the unusually warm 80 degree Pennsylvania March weather when the light bulb suddenly went on for her. "We're going to have two of these cars" she said, " and you can only drive one at a time . . . Hmmm that means I can drive whichever you don't" A big smile came across her face as she realized I wasn't so crazy after all. She had found a bright side to my insanity and she really likes the result.

WOW. It was a glorious day!

Tom -

I'm sure I speak for a few of the other guys on this site when I say I'm totally GREEN WITH ENVY over your coupe project. I can imagine it will seem like time is standing still until that bad boy is in your garage! At least you can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I thought I would include a pic of an SC I saw at a recent Porsche meet - this is how I picture my 'fantasy' coupe!

Peace - Out!

Jim - Thanks. That is one great coupe. I hope mine looks half that good!

Jim!

Your fantasy is a T-6? I'm shocked . . . I would have thought that you were a 356A man all the way.

TC -

You're right! I am a 356 fan, I shoulda clarified that if I got a JPS coupe I'd like it in that color blue and polished Fuchs (like in the pic).

As far as fantasy, one of these days I'm gonna get my hands on a '76 Ferrari 246 Dino. It's nothing fancy, and as far as Ferrari's go, this is the equivalent to a Ferrari Pinto, but I just love the lines of the car. It would share garage space with the Speedy!

Jim maybe we were seperated at birth? My dream has been to have my office/garage as a seperate building from my house with the first floor being the sitting area and car bays and the second floor being my office - here's the cool part - the floor would be lexan so I could look down on my two dream cars from my desk. The two cars (?) - a silver 356 Speedster and a red Ferrari Dino. So at some point I guess I'll have to paint my Speedster silver because I can't ever consider buying a Ferrari in anything but red. Though I can't imagine I'll be calling the paint guy anytime soon.

The Coupe has me giddy. So sexy, too. I'm plotting and scheming for a new daily driver. Thanks to tom, I know it can have heated seats and a/c, power windows & locks.
What I really want to know is whether those rear windows tilt out?

Mickey,

A few years ago I sold a speedster to a guy in SC.
He had a oversize three car garage inclusive of a "Rolls" and a pink '59 Caddy.
Above the garage was a beautiful oak appointed office, 22 pistol range, a single lane bowling alley, pin ball machines, two pool tables, video arcade games and a large oak desk with my speedster cash ......in one of the hidden drawers:)

Coupe seats or speedster seats for the Green machine? Any opinions? I like the speedster seats but John will do coupe seats with or without head rests. I'm leaning toward the coupe seats with headrests? What do you folks think? I love hearing other opinions.

For the outlaw look and feel, go speedster seats. I have seen several coupes with speedster seats and it looks great. The seats should beable to tilt forward to allow better access to the rear area. I would also delete any rear seats. Just carpet.

Tom,
Depending on what you're looking to do and how much you want to spend I like the speedster seats. Just the other day I was at a friend of mines place, he restores vintage cars, and he has a 58 coupe with modified speedster seats in it. He re-did the seats by welding higher sides for better lateral support. The car is set up for racing so he needed it but they look, and feel, awesome! If you want I can take some pics for you. He's been asked to display some of his cars at a fund raiser in a couple weeks and he asked me if I'd bring mine along - he also said that I can drive the coupe to the show! I'll take some pics of the cars and post them then so you can see what he did to his coupe, it's red with silver darts on the front fenders! He also just got a 59 carrera coupe back from paint (bright yellow) that he's doing so when that one is together I'll post some pics of that too. I know you're going with Green but it's always nice to see other options.

Tom, how old are you? If you're Lane's age, you might want the coupe seats.

And if you're my age, you will want a luggage rack for a walker...;-)
Hoss

Coupe seats maybe, but at least my butt still fits in the Speedster seats :-)

Actually, Tom, I'd probably go with the coupe seats and headrests. I realize they won't be the best looking choice (although John will no doubt make them nice) but that little bit of extra safety could save your life.

Tom, I have a pair of stock 356 seats out of my '64 SC coupe. They're black, but might be re-covered and would add to the masquerade.

Oh, that color combination is going to be beautiful! My TR6 was finished up that way (I used the Jaguar metallic racing green with the buff/cork interior and top) Really nice! Good choice on the wheels as well; a chromed or polished surface can get a little cheesy looking against that green. Best to keep the contrast down a bit, like you're planning on doing.

Post some pics soon ! ! !

For the record I'll be 50 on April 19th. Not sure how that compares to the rest of you.

My dad lost his lower leg to diabetes last June. He is only 70. That was a catalyst for me to go for my speedster and now the coupe. I don't want to wait and wish I had done it. And so here I am with car #2 on the way.

I'm leaning toward going with the coupe seats with headrests just because I plan to drive this car a lot. I can always switch to speedster seats later if I'm really unhappy. Not happy to be losing some of the outlaw racer look but a reasonable compromise for my everyday driver.

Mickey I would love to see those pics regardless. I've been collecting 356 pics to gain ideas (and because I love to look at the cars) for the last several years.

John I met you at Carlisle last year as I was admiring your beautiful red SAW "subytub" or is it "tubaru"? You took some time to talk to me about my options and were a big help in my indoctrination into this "illness". Everyone has been a great help. I learn a ton on this site every time I visit.

On another note, I am trying to figure out how I am going to haul my road & Mountain Bikes. I need to lose a few pounds and promisede my wife I wouldn't just drive these cars every free moment. Gotta get my bikes some action (and burn off some of this fat) too. Any ideas?

Tom,

I'd say coupe seats, as you seem to be looking for something just a notch above the "spartan" Speedster mystique. Also, the bit about getting to the back will be easier if the back of the seat moves. The green is not my cup of tea, but I am sure it will look absolutely fabulous. BRG on an MG or Morgan is a natural. On a Porsche, I'm not so sure. But that is just me. My only possible regret in all of this is a nagging feeling that John is working so hard to get your car ready for Carlisle, so his S/N 001 Coupe will be out for the world to see, that my car, in the JPS que with yours, is getting short shrift. I hope not, and have no reason to suspect, but one wonders . . .

Tom, if you were at Carlisle last year you saw my car being built. As for the age thing, I am about 10 months ahead of you. This was my 50th birthday present to myself. Glad to see you're doing the same thing. Can't wait to see it.

"For the record I'll be 50 on April 19th."

Ahhh . . . . The men that God forgot.

Get ready to be ignored, my friend. You are now officially invisible. You can now walk into any bank of your choice, rob it at will, and the description of the robber will be, "Some old guy, I didn't even notice him at first. I don't remember what he looked like . . . "

TC, the good news is the AARP discounts, often better than the advertised, one time only, just for today types offered to John Q Public. Celebrate the victory when it arrives. And, BTW, I was invisible before I turned 50 so what the hey.
Hoss

The only thing that makes me visible is the glare off the top of my head.

Cory,

Guess you hit the nail on the head - I AM Lane's age! Going with the Coupe seats. Easier on my wide butt.

Thanks everyone. I hope I have pics soon. The body went to paint Monday acording to John.

Kelly,
There's a black car ahead of mine that's been holding things up. John HATES black. Loves the look, but hates the build.

I'm not Coupe 001. I think I'm 002. So blame ALL delays on 001 ; ) 002 is causing NO delays. LOL.

Oh and John says the green is very close to an original P color. I like it because its unusual. I have seen only the "green hornet" and John's Pic.

Lane, I don't even have the glare to be noticed. That's why I need a P-replica. Otherwise I'm just an invisible gray (now old) guy. Bring on that AARP card!

Opps . . . Justin was kind enough to provide some other pics of green coupes posted above. I almost forgot (Senior moment?). Maybe green is not as unusual as I thought.

wrt green P-cars, I will back off just a little, as I could be called a hypocrit if the truth came out. And the truth is: My first car was a '56 A Coupe and it was not BRG, but a sort of blue green (has an official name I can't recall just now). When it was all compounded out and shined up, it looked pretty decent. But of course I did not pick that color, as the car, which I bought VERY used, just came that way. On the other hand, a few of my friends called it the "Green Bean", so there's a LOL for you. Lic. plate: GREENBN??

Cheers,

Kelly

Kelly, Sorry if my post can off terse. Not meant so. I was only pointing out my reasons for green. Everyone is welcome to disagree. to each his own. - You going to Carlisle? I look forward to meeting you.

I will be in Carlisle, hopefully w/ my brand new JPS. It's in the works in CA right now, and time is moving on. Hopefully, it can all come together in time. Will be fun either way, but way more fun w/ than w/out.

You might want to take TC up on his offer of those original seats. They're sprung well, and the filler/padding material conforms quite well to my 170-lb. hiney. I had a set, and all but gave them away -- very cheap -- a while back. I wish to hell they would have fit, but I hadn't hacked my interior up at the time.
They'll fold, too. And if TC's offering them, you can bet they're worth the reupholstry job.
I have a guy, if you don't. He's in Millersville, MD; his name's Gil. (410) 987-8746 and he's done all the P-cars in the area at one time or another. He's persnickety, gruff and works on his own schedule, but he does really great work. I took a 928 to him for a mocha interior, and it was factory-new and back in my hands in less than two weeks.
The whole interior, out the door, was about $3K. The Recaros were about $500 each.

PS: Tom

No offense taken -- are you kidding??? On this Forum?? Anything goes, right? And re-read what I said: your car is going to be GORGEOUS! Dare I say it?: We will all be green w/ envy . . . I can hear the groans from here.

And here is something completley off the wall: I have one (yes, just one) Coupe seat that came out of a '56 A Coupe. You can believe me that it is original and well sat in. If it would be any use to you at all, you can have it. I can send a picture or two in a few days.

Cory,

You do not have to answer my e-mail, as you have put the answer to it here wrt an upholstery dude in the area. I will call Gil soon as possible, and see if he wants to help me choose colors. As there will be nothing in it for him, I hope he won't be too gruff.

John Steele said he was sending my car to the paint shop today. That sounds like progress.

Kelly

No worries, Kelly. You have a voicemail at the lab with the same info on it.

New pics up of the silver coupe. Very excited for the upcoming owners. What a handsome car!

Looks like speedster seats after all in the Green Machine. John says he can't get enough movement for my long legs with the coupe seats (More likely its my big spare tire -not the legs). Hopes to have a fix eventually, but I was on the fence anyway so I'm not wait'in - Going with the speedster seats. Maybe I'll swap in the future when John gets it figured out. Maybe not.

Kelly,

What's the news on your JPS? Still on track to have it at Carlisle? I sure hope to see it there as well. How bout a few details? What colors? I know no green, but . . . Black? Silver? Red? I like reading about what others are doing.